Tips For Working With Teak

I’m building a bathroom vanity table out of teak. Any tips on glue up? I recall hearing somewhere that epoxy glue is best, and that the edges should be well cleaned with acetone to cut the oil content prior to gluing.

I’m also looking for advice on how to finish the teak. I want to avoid varathane or any other plastic coating and am leaning toward a wiping varnish or oil. Any suggestions on product/brands? I’m installing a vessel on the vanity so there will be some water exposure.

Thanks,Scott

10 replies so far

I have a boat with over a metric ton of teak just in the interior. And have done a number of projects with the wood. I have always wiped down the joint surfaces with acetone before a glue up and have used both west systems epoxy and tightbond II with great success. One note, it is hell on your blades and knifes. A lot of sicilica in the wood.

As for finish, on the exterior, 6+ coats of spar varnish, interior, I go with 3 coats of Dalys Seafin teak oil, It is made in Seattle. http://www.dalyspaint.com/PDF/specs/S-TeakOil.pdf I use this stuff on a lot of different woods as well, and buy it in the gallon size can. It is a blend of tung oil and poly, and holds up great, as well as looking great.

Yes agree with Pete you should use outdoor finishing material for bathtub. The outdoor Polyurethane is work good. But you must avoid solid color especially white opaque color, the oil in teak wood will create problem for opaque finish in teak wood.

Also, remember that teak is a very oily wood. Sand every joint to be glued, then wipe with acetone and apply a well mixed two part epoxy. I have not used Gorilla glue on teak yet, so I am not sure of its holding power with this oily wood. Do not use regular wood glue!

-- Methods are many,Principles are few.Methods change often,Principles never do.

I have used Gorilla glue as well on exterior teak, when replaceing the plugs in the deck, and else where, but I have found that titebond II will work as well on interior projects if the joints are well made. I find that the foaming of Gorilla glue is ok when you can knock it of with 60 grit, epoxy seems to be a lot harder to get off the surface, but the last project I inside project I used biscuits and Titebond II and it has held well.

I called the technical support department at Tite Bond and they say that Tite Bond III does an excellent job bonding oily wood as long as the edges fit tight. They said that epoxy was not necessary unless you are working with eneven edges where gap filling is required. I’m edge jointing the teak and will have perfectly tight joints therefore I’m now leaning toward Tite Bond III. They said to be safe I should leave the clamps on overnight.

Also, there was a test published in a magazine at some point comparing different gluing techniques. The most effective option was sanding the surfaces to be joined right before the glue-up/assembly. Wiping with solvent, and using different glues were secondary, if I recall correctly.

Hutch

-- I hope the volume of shavings one creates is directly related to the probablility of one's success, cuz if so I've got it made!!